Jonah 4 - 12.6.23
Scripture
Jonah 4:1-2 But to Jonah this seemed very wrong, and he became angry. He prayed to the Lord, “Isn’t this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity.
Observation
Jonah thinks he knows better than God!
Application
Jonah says, “I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity.” That sounds like a God worthy of praise! But Jonah is not praising God, he is actually complaining that God is being gracious and compassionate to those that he thinks don’t deserve it. And what’s more, he says to God, I told you this was going to happen! I knew you were going to love those people even though I don’t think you should.
That sounds ridiculous, right? I am so thankful that God is gracious and compassionate. I am thankful that he is almighty and all-knowing and wants the best for me. But if I stop and really think about it, there are plenty of times that I have thought I knew better than God. There are times when I have ignored his guidance and direction, times when I decided to do things in my own strength or lean on my own understanding, times when I refused to put my trust in him. And when you think about it, that is just ridiculous too!
Proverbs 3:6 - in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
Prayer
Lord, thank you for this humbling reminder that you are the almighty. Please forgive me for my foolishness, the times when I think I know better than you do. I can do things the hard way and follow my own understanding, or I can take the easy path and let you be the guide.
- Debbie Dunn
1 Corinthians 2 - 12.5.23
Scripture
1 Corinthians 2:9 - 14
9 However, as it is written:
“What no eye has seen,
what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived”—
the things God has prepared for those who love him—
10 these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit.
The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13 This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words. 14 The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.
Observation
Paul writes to the church in Corinth after receiving reports of division in the church. Some in the church were having quarrels over who they follow in teaching (“I follow Paul” or “I follow Apollos”) which created divisions. Chapter 1 guides the church back to the foundation of Christ crucified and God’s power and wisdom. Chapter 2 continues with how God’s power and wisdom comes from the Holy Spirit. Paul knows the Corinthian church (and all of us) need to understand more about the Holy Spirit in our life.
Paul reminds us in verse 9 about what was written in Isaiah 64:4 - no eye has seen, heard, or human mind can conceive - of the things God has prepared for those who love him. These unseen, unheard, and things our mind can’t conceive all come from what the Holy Spirit reveals to us. He begins with this Scripture as a highlight of the Holy Spirit’s purpose and spiritual depth of His involvement in our life. It goes deep!
Our human minds think that by reading and studying anything, we could gain wisdom on that topic. That’s not the case with God. Knowledge and wisdom are two different things. We can have all the knowledge and experience in the world about the things of God but without God’s Spirit within us, we really can’t have God’s true wisdom or direction. It all comes from the Holy Spirit.
Jesus spoke about the Holy Spirit to the Disciples during the Last Supper. He was trying to comfort and guide them about the upcoming events. He knew they would be discouraged and distraught after He left earth. In John 14:16 – 17 He says, “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever – the Sprit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.” What a comfort to know the Holy Spirit is given to us, is an advocate and helper! I love how this verse calls the Holy Spirit the “Spirit of truth.” Real truth from the Holy Spirit can enable us to understand and comprehend God’s ways and apply Godly wisdom in our life.
Paul help us understand the Holy Spirit’s purpose in our life throughout this section of scripture: He reveals the unknown and even things we can’t conceive (vs 9), He searches all things including the thoughts of God (vs 10), He helps us understand what God has freely given us (vs 12), teaches us spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words (vs 13) and have God’s discernment (vs 14). Through the Holy Spirit we get an understanding of the deeper things of God, the spiritual side of life here on earth, and even the thoughts of God. The Holy Spirit is basically the conduit that channels everything God wants us to spiritually have, know, learn and live.
Application
There are many times where I’ve been unsure of the next step in life or in a decision. I can probably come up with a humanly wise decision but is it really God’s wisdom? Will the decision I make further His plan in my life, will it lead to the next step God has planned, or will it impact someone else for Christ? The only way to really know the answers to these questions is to see things through the Holy Spirit’s lenses. In life, I can’t see anything in front of me without my glasses. I’m literally blind as a bat without glasses. That’s how important they are to me! The same is true with the Holy Spirit. As a believer and follower of Christ, I can’t see God’s will, direction or have His wisdom without the Holy Spirit. We are given the Holy Spirit when we ask Christ to be our Lord and Savior but must be diligent to seek after and ask God for the Holy Spirit’s guidance, wisdom and direction in everything. We can keep our eyes and ears open to His promptings, His voice, and His wisdom.
Prayer
Lord, help me to always seek you and the Holy Spirit’s wisdom. Help me to hear your voice when prompted by the Holy Spirit. Guide me in your path, your direction and give me your wisdom in all that I do today and the future. I only want to seek you and live for you!
- Mary Oberg
1 Corinthians 1 - 12.4.23
Scripture:
1 Corinthians 1:26-31 NIV
“Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.””
Observation:
In the beginning of this chapter, Paul gives thanks for the church in Corinth, but then he addressed issues causing division. The church was divided based upon the leaders that they followed. Paul pointed them back to Christ, reminding them that not even he was crucified for them. None of them were baptized in his (Paul’s) name. Then, he went on to point out that those who boast should boast in the Lord!
Application:
If we truly have anything to boast about, it should be about Jesus Christ! Divisions cease when Christ is on the throne of our (the church’s) lives.
The older I’m getting, the more and more I’m realizing that all good things come from God alone. It’s okay to be impressed, encouraged and celebrate success and hard work, but we need to remember that our ability and drive to work hard originates from God. My ability to love my husband and kids and others…that is from God. My ability to endure through trials and suffering is from God. My ability to write this SJ post is from God. My faith and salvation is from God.
We are completely dependent on the Lord and should boast in Him about every good thing. Everything should point back to Him.
Prayer:
Dear Lord, may I make every effort to secure my relationship with You, with You on the throne of my life. When people ask me who I follow, I pray that the first One Who comes out of my mouth is You. Help my life to reflect that as well. Amen.
-Michelle Gaddi